And so to the second game of a four game series against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees had scraped through two in extra innings – one versus Kansas City and the first in the series against Boston – but surely this sequence couldn’t last.

Tonight’s starter was Clarke Schmidt who was another making progress after returning from injury, and hoping to ensure that if the Yankees did progress to the postseason he would be on that roster as a starter.

The game began with Jarren Duran hitting a slow roller past Gleyber Torres who barely moved. Whatever this says about Torres’ outlook, it just made everybody lift their game. As Duran tried to steal second, Austin Wells made a swift and calculated throw to Anthony Volpe at shortstop to make the first out.

Less haste on Duran’s part would have meant that the Red Sox would have begun to open up an ealy advantage, but the opportunity was gone, and when Rafael Devers followed up with a single, he found himself on the bases alone.

Tyler O’Neill was struck out and then Masataka Yoshida hit a ground ball over to Torres who tossed to Anthony Rizzo for a 4-3 out.

Torres mixed beginning too the game continued as he flied out to right field where Wilyer Abreu fielded confidently. Juan Soto also skied one for the second out. Then Boston pitcher, Richard Fitts began to hit problems. First, he walked Aaron Judge and then Austin Wells. A wild pitch followed – runners on second and third. He then walked Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases. Fitts and the collective faces in the dugout must have been very glad that he already had those two outs. Jazz Chisholm jr could only manage a fly out to centerfield and Fitts made his escape.

Clarke Schmidt had the mental advantage, if not one that showed in the score. Connor Wong grounded out. Wilyer Abreu did likewise. Triston Casas hit into the air where Judge made a safe catch in centerfield.

Anthony Rizzo hit a single to start the second. Anthony Volpe lined out to Abreu. The next up was the interesting one of the inning. Fitts only found out he was starting tonight a few hours before the first pitch. He was now settling down. More intriguing was that Fitts was a Yankee minor leaguer in 2023, and then he was traded for Alex Verdugo in the off-season. The Yankees and Red Sox don’t make many trades. The chances of players involved in one of those trades facing each other are therefore even more slender. Fitts won this one with Verdugo flying out into left field for the second out. Torres hit it into right field with the same result. 0-0.

Trevor Story, Cedanne Rafaela and Duran were out in order in the top of the third. Soto, Judge, and Wells did the same in the bottom of the inning.

Rafael Devers was walked to open the fourth. O’Neill, Yoshida and Wong failed to add anything. Schmidt gained two strike outs. Other than Schmidt, these Yankees looked like a team who had just played two extra innings game. Tired and with no spark.

When Anthony Rizzo came to bat, the Yankees had two outs. Rizzo hit a double into centerfield, and for a moment things looked a little brighter. It didn’t last. A Volpe flyout ended the inning.

Fifth inning? Boston also had two outs before anythinh developed. Abreu grounded out, Casas struck out. Trevor Story then hit a single, before Rafaela ended any opportunity with a ground ball into a force out.

The Yankees went down in order. Fitts remained on top of Verdugo and reminded the Yankees what they had given up. Torres lined out, Soto struck out.

Surely something had to happen.

And then it did. A Duran single looked like it was going to be just another dead end when a pair of fly outs for Devers and O’Neill made it look like he was going nowhere fast. And then…

… Masataka Yoshida hit a great fly ball into centerfield which gave Judge no chance, as it went for a homer. It took Duran home in its wake. 2-0.

The Yankees then replaced Schmidt with Mark Leiter jr. Given that Schmidt had been doing well, and that Leiter was noted only for his struggles since he came to New York, this might be considered a slightly hasty decision. Let’s see…

Wong grounded out to end the inning, and give the Yankees a chance to bounce back.

The Red Sox also replaced their starting pitcher with Justin Slaten replacing Richard Fitts.

And the Yankees perhaps realising they needed to do something, led off with an Aaron Judge single. However, Wells struck out and it looked like another false start, but it at least was a start. Stanton hit a single to put runners on first and second. But then Chisholm popped out. And Rizzo could only strikeout.

The 7th started quietly for Boston, but with one out (Abreu), Casa hit a single. Next up was Story who had not hit a home run so far in 2024 for Boston. I guess it had to happen, and he cleared the wall in right center. 4-0.

The Red Sox weren’t done yet, but thankfully for the Yankees, their endeavours came to nothing. Rafaela was a second out, but a strong double from Duran looked like Boston were going to extend their lead. A Devers 4-3 ground out ended that possibility.

Bringing on Zack Kelly in place of Slaten might have been Boston’s big mistake. He started by walking both Volpe and Verdugo – runners at 1st and 2nd. Then a single from Torres brought the quick Volpe home and advanced Verdugo to second. First and second. 4-1.

Cam Booser then was brought into replace Kelly, perhaps the wrong guy and a little too late. He started by walking Soto. Bases loaded.

Then let’s talk about Aaron Judge’s home run drought. He had last homered on the 25th of August (two of them on one day). Today is September 13th. That’s quite a gap for the guy who is leading the majors in that category. I was sitting next to a Boston fan. I simply said “home run, grand slam”. It just seemed like it had to happen.

And it did…

Over the left field wall. 5-4. What a comeback from a team that had looked dead in the water.

Then Wells struck out and the other ex-Yankees’ man Greg Weissert came in, in relief for Booser. Stanton grounded out. Chisholm hit a single, but was caught stealing.

Luke Weaver, who has been having a great season, for Leiter who hasn’t. In the midst of three Weaver strikeouts (O’Neill, Wong and Abreu), Yoshida hit a single, which came to nothing and the Yankees remained ahead.

Luis Guerrero replaced Weissert and he caused Rizzo to flyout before striking out both Volpe and Verdugo.Verdugo wasn’t enjoying playing against his old team.

And so to the 9th. The Yankees had options here as they needed to stop Boston scoring one more time. They chose to stick with Weaver. He struck out Casas. A little pop out from Story to Torres made two out. And then Rafaela, a little too eager to swing, struck out.

Great outing for Weaver. Good outing for Schmidt. Judge starts to get his groove back.

Yankees are two up in a four-game series.